The main problem is that for many years, Muay Thai was seen as a "low class" sport. It's only in recent years with Thai Fight and government efforts that the average Thai is starting to see Muay Thai as an intangible cultural asset as opposed to something brutal and unpleasant. Like many other Asian countries, social classes and social standing are still a big part of everyday Thai life. To be a part of the Muay Thai world (whether as a fighter, trainer, or fan) was to be a part of lower class society, something which many middle and upper class Thais did not want to associate themselves with. Even to this day, I have a number of Thai family friends who come from a long line of merchants and business owners who still look down on Muay Thai and say it's "too violent" and offends their sensibilities, even though the Thai government and some promoters are trying to reaffirm the art's place as a major part of Thai culture and history.
